Eid on June 16, predicts Ruet-e-Hilal research chief

LAHORE: The moon will not be visible on the evening of Thursday, June 14, so Eidul Fitr will be observed on Saturday, June 16.

Ruet-e-Hilal Research Council Secretary General Khalid Ejaz Mufti made this forecast here on Monday. He predicted that Shawwal 1 will be on Saturday at the earliest.

He said new moon cannot be sighted until and unless its age is a minimum of 19 hours at the time of sunset (at the place of observation), the difference between sunset and moonset (lag time) is a minimum of 40 minutes, the angle of moon’s separation from the earth’s surface (altitude) is minimum of six degrees, and the angle of the moon’s separation from the sun (elongation) is a minimum of 10 degrees.

The new moon will ‘begin’ at 00:43 PST on Thursday. The age of the new moon at the time of sunset on Thursday evening will be less than 19 hours, so Eid will be celebrated on Saturday after the completion of 30 days for the month of Ramazan.

Although the month of Ramazan started on the same day in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia – May 17 – it is expected that Saudi Arabia will celebrate Eidul Fitr on Friday, he said.